Scarlets v Leinster thread

[Donny B.]

The Leinster squad trained in UCD on Monday afternoon as they build up to Saturday evening's RaboDirect PRO 12 trip to face the Scarlets in Parc Y Scarlets (KO: 6.30pm)...

The Leinster management - already without 14 players on World Cup duty as well as longer-term absentees such as Mat Berquist, Andrew Conway, Shane Horgan, Tom Sexton and Eamonn Sheridan - counted the cost of Saturday night’s defeat to the Glasgow Warriors with Kevin McLaughlin and Dominic Ryan sustaining ankle injuries. It is anticipated that neither forward will be available for selection this week.

Berquist and Sheridan are expected to be unavailable until the New Year and Conway (ankle) should return over the coming weeks. Meanwhile, hooker Sexton could be back over the next month after undergoing knee surgery over the summer months.

Luke Fitzgerald was withdrawn midway through the second half with cramp as a precautionary basis and though he sat out training on Monday he will hopefully be available for selection.

Steven Sykes stepped up his rehabilitation and though he may again miss out on selection, he could be available for Leinster’s next home match a week later in the RDS against Aironi.

There were debuts for Ireland Under-20 captain Jordi Murphy and prop Nathan White on Saturday night while Isa Nacewa completed a 100% kicking ratio and a 14-point haul.

The Leinster team will be named on Friday lunchtime.



Didn't know Tom Sexton had surgery over the summer.

[johng]

And I thought we were down to bare bones last week

Van Der Merwe
Strauss
Hagan
Browne
Toner
Ruddock
Murphy
Avua'a

Willis
Madigan
Carr
Fitzgerald
O'Malley
Kearney
Nacewa

Dundon/Harris-Wright
McGrath
White
Flanagan
Marshall
Cooney
Macken
Hudson

That's 3 Academy players, 2 more who just left the academy in May, and 2 AIL players. In our BEST possible squad, for an AWAY game in Wales.

Not a single player to spare in any position. (well, bar JHW)

You could play Dundon AND Harris-Wright, and put Strauss at 7. But I would not be a fan of that approach.

9 players injured and 14 at the WC out of a squad of 44 (inc Sheridan and not inc McKinley)

Berquist
Conway
Horgan
McLaughlin
Ryan
Sexton
Shawe
Sheridan
Sykes

[baaba maal]

that is an unbelievable loss of players- on the other hand, Scarlets look somewhat depleted to my non-expert eye judging by the team they sent to Musgrave:

15 Dale Ford
14 Lee Williams
13 Rhodri Gomer Davies
12 Gareth Maule
11 Andy Fenby
10 Dan Newton
9 Ruki Tipuna
1 Iestyn Thomas (capt)
2 Kirby Myhill
3 Rhys Thomas
4 Lou Reed
5 Dominic Day
6 Rob McCusker
7 Josh Turnbull
8 Ben Morgan.

Replacements: Emyr Phillips, Phil John, Rhodri Jones, Aaron Shingler, Johnathan Edwards, Gareth Davies, Aled Thomas, Lee Rees.

Not available for selection through injury: Daniel Evans, full back (broken finger), Aled Davies, scrum half (knee) and Nick Reynolds, centre (ankle).

Some names there that don't kook familiar to me anyway. Dale Ford is 19 years old for example.

Not a foregone conclusion yet- Scarlets are only ahead of us on points difference.......

[mikey]

Jesus, that is brutal reading with the injuries - but it does represent a great opportunity for the younger lads - they may never get a better chance to show what they can do......away in Wales is never easy, and this makes it so much harder.....still, Looking forward to the trip down to Llanelli...

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Conway is longer term? Anyone have any update on him? Can't wait to see him play after he was so good at the world cup. Fitz having cramp on Saturday doesn't exactly inspire confidence in his fitness/preparation. Thought he played quite well though.

[ronk]

Conway is longer term? Anyone have any update on him? Can't wait to see him play after he was so good at the world cup. Fitz having cramp on Saturday doesn't exactly inspire confidence in his fitness/preparation. Thought he played quite well though.

He's on standby.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Conway is longer term? Anyone have any update on him? Can't wait to see him play after he was so good at the world cup. Fitz having cramp on Saturday doesn't exactly inspire confidence in his fitness/preparation. Thought he played quite well though.

He's on standby.

Sorry for being dense but I don't get your point. Do you just mean he was taken off as a precaution for Ireland?

[ronk]

Conway is longer term? Anyone have any update on him? Can't wait to see him play after he was so good at the world cup. Fitz having cramp on Saturday doesn't exactly inspire confidence in his fitness/preparation. Thought he played quite well though.

He's on standby.

Sorry for being dense but I don't get your point. Do you just mean he was taken off as a precaution for Ireland?

Yeah.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Ok, still not sure of your point though. I was saying it's a bit worrying because he shouldn't be cramping up after an hour of a Rabodirect match. I don't think that should be happening to a guy who could end up playing in the knockout stages of the world cup in a few weeks.

[Donny B.]

Schmidt to make full use of pool


JOHNNY WATTERSON

PRO 12: LEINSTER COACH Joe Schmidt promises to delve into a pool of players few people will have seen before such is the magnitude of his injury problems. Greatly compounded by having 14 players in New Zealand, the current tally of 23 unavailable bodies means Leinster will have to dip deeper into their academy than ever.

News that Dominic Ryan and Kevin McLaughlin, both stretchered from the pitch last Saturday, will be out for three weeks with ankle ligament damage, means players such as Jordi Murphy, Damian Browne, Ciarán Ruddock, Noel Reid and possibly Galway-born back Daniel Riordan could come into contention.

“We’ve lost Kevin McLaughlin, Steven Sykes, Matt Berquist, guys who should be leading the team, giving us the direction,” said Schmidt. “Dominic Ryan and those guys who got the experience here last year are massively important. Shane Horgan is another one who would be massive to us now.

“Take those five guys as well as the younger ones like Ian McKinley and Andrew Conway and yeah, it’s not ideal. If I wasn’t so scrawny and useless I’d play myself.”

Schmidt added that with injury comes opportunity and responsibility. Defeat to Glasgow last week still rankles because victory was within their ability. Leinster face Llanelli in this week’s RaboDirect PRO12 match.

“There’s going to be some guys who you haven’t seen before out there on Saturday. If you are here in the academy and we see a future for you that’s an opportunity but if you put the jersey on and you are playing for Leinster, that’s a responsibility,” said Schmidt. “Our responsibility wasn’t fully met last weekend and we have to redress that.”

Jordi Murphy appeared last week from the bench but has played more at number eight than at seven. There could be a rejig there. Ruddock, brother of captain Rhys, is a secondrow like Browne, whose experience of playing in France should give Leinster a physical dimension. Outhalf Noel Reid hasn’t had that much rugby but played with his club Clontarf last week, with secondrow Ben Marshall twisting his knee in the AIL and sidelined for three weeks. (FFS! It never rains but it pours!)

“Ben Marshall ideally would have come in for Dominic Ryan or Kevin McLaughlin so we didn’t do ourselves any favours there,” said Schmidt. “Noel Reid got the game under his belt and he didn’t do a knee. It means he’s still got a few limbs he can throw into the mix on Saturday.”

[nc6000]

Nice to see LR saying it's only 3 weeks out for Ryan and McLaughlin. I thought their injuries were much more serious than that.

[ceemec]

24 players....that really is astonishing.

[johng]

24 players....that really is astonishing.

Marshall out might make it more likely to have Strauss at 7 (If JHW is not gone to Ed O'Donaghue land)

Could also bring Ciaran Ruddock onto the bench.

He seems determined to bring Noel Reid into the proceedings. Not sure that is better than bringing Isa up to 10 and Hudson on to the wing. (If Madigan needs to be subbed)

Also having Macken and Hudson on the bench gives you centre AND back 3 cover. Seeing as Luke is being carefully minded in case he is needed down south, that may be a good option.

[Donny B.]

Nice to see LR saying it's only 3 weeks out for Ryan and McLaughlin. I thought their injuries were much more serious than that.

Frankly I'm finding that hard to believe, certainly in the case of Ryan.

[jezzer]

I think Strauss should play 7 and start Dundon. It's our best use of resources.

I can't believe for a second that Dom Ryan is out for only 3 weeks.

[rooster]

Nice to see LR saying it's only 3 weeks out for Ryan and McLaughlin. I thought their injuries were much more serious than that.

Frankly I'm finding that hard to believe, certainly in the case of Ryan.

Could be they mean will miss 3 matches, then there are 2 weeks off for RWC so it would actually be 6 weeks before their possible next match

[Edna Kenny]

I can see the next Leinster promotion after Route 6'6"

Leinster Factor: Are you interested in rugby? Bring your boots along to UCD tomorrow for a free trial, you could be playing for Leinster in Wales on Saturday. There are loads of places up for grabs. Experiance is preferable but not essential.

[johng]

I think Strauss should play 7 and start Dundon. It's our best use of resources.

Not sure I agree with that. Strauss is a better hooker than Dundon by a bigger margin that he is a better back row than Murphy.

Not a massive amount in it, but give me Strauss at hooker.

[Xanthippe]

If JHW is not gone to Ed O'Donaghue land

He's still around. Picture taken at training today by Kevin McLaughlin

[Lar]

Nice to see LR saying it's only 3 weeks out for Ryan and McLaughlin. I thought their injuries were much more serious than that.

Frankly I'm finding that hard to believe, certainly in the case of Ryan.

plus one